Priest
In faith in a greater existence and the wonders of the divine, many find a greater purpose. Called to serve powers beyond most mortal understanding, priests preach wonders and provide for the spiritual needs of the people. More than mere functionaries, these elders are the emissaries from the divine to the mortal, and from the mortal to the divine. They enforce the will of their deities with Divine Magic. Purpose Priests are the bridge-keepers between the holy powers. Devoted to the tenets of the religions and philosophies that inspire them, these ecclesiastics quest to spread the knowledge and influence of their faith. They have the full authority of their religious bodies to administer the mysteries of their religion, usually through some sort of sacrificial character. Specializations While they might share similar abilities, priests are as different from one another as the divinities they serve, with some offering healing and redemption, others judging law and truth, and still others spreading conflict and corruption. Holy After spending much of their lives in temples studying ancient doctrine, preaching the tenets of their faith, and pledging their full devotion to the divine powers they follow, the most adept priests leave their houses of worship to serve on the battlefield, as shepherd to flock. There, they use their holy powers to bless allies and mend wounds. And while most stay behind the front lines to aid their comrades, these holy champions are also capable of smiting foes and carrying out sacred justice. They’re also morally opposed to the use of Shadow and Void magic—rather, they are exemplars of the incredible grace and power of the divine and the Light, and even death cannot fully stop their healing capabilities. Shadow The Light in which many priests bathe is brilliant and effervescent, granting them immense divine power. But the brightest light casts the darkest shadow—and from within this blackness, a rival power dwells. Shadow priests fully embrace this opposing polarity, their faith equally resolute as their holy counterparts—but focused on shadowy magics and mental manipulation. Like all priests, they dedicate much of their lives to worship—but they derive their power from the Void, straying dangerously close to the domain of the Old Gods. To truly understand such ancient, corruptive influence is to be driven mad. This is the state in which these dark priests thrive, embracing insanity and feeding off of the minds of their opponents to reach terrifying new limits. Discipline Some priests pride themselves on pragmatism. They understand that light casts a shadow, that darkness is defined by light, and that true discipline stems from one’s ability to balance these opposing powers in services of a greater cause. While these priests possess many holy virtues to aid their allies, they also dabble in the dark arts to debilitate their enemies—always exercising immense discipline to keep themselves away from the brink of insanity. Many would say the ends justify the means; scriptures both virtuous and vile should be studied and understood to protect the congregation. Priests by Race Note: All races can be shadow priests. The Holy Light Main Page: The Holy Light * Humans * Dwarves * Gnomes * High Elves * Blood Elves * Worgen * Undead * Goblin Polytheistic Gods See: Gods * Night Elf * Tauren * Troll * Pandaren Notable Priests Current Alonsus Faol (Former Archbishop, Undead) Alonsus II (Contested Archbishop) Sally Whitemane (Former Scarlet High Inquisitor, Undead) Melchiz Tzedeck (Bishop, Lord Vicar) Allister (Author, Shadow Priest, Undead) Past Isillien (Scarlet Grand Inquisitor, Deceased) Benedictus (Former Archbishop, Twilight's Father, Deceased) Columban V (Former Archbishop, Deceased) Caspius Greenleaf (Bishop, Saint, Deceased) Skeram (Prophet, Shadow Priest, Deceased) Category:Priests Category:Classes and Professions